At the Speed of Light
by Kazyre
Summary: These are a few linking Wally West/Kyle Rayner stories written from one-word prompts that I received on Tumblr.
1. Soulmate

Kyle was draped half across the table with his head propped up on a fist, drenched in misery. Across from him, his friend Wally was polishing off the remains of a blooming onion all by himself and giving Kyle a look that was entirely unsympathetic.

Just a few short hours ago, Kyle's sorta girlfriend had called it quits with him again. He still didn't know why he'd thought it was a good idea, but he'd immediately called up Wally to hang out and commiserate. In hindsight, Connor Hawke might've been the better choice if he wanted comforting, but Wally had a gift for taking his mind off of things, and the speedster was always up for a good time.

Kyle had just forgotten about the tiny fact that Wally had never been a big fan of his girlfriend Alex, for some reason. So, while _he_ was depressed about the fight he and Alex just had, Wally was thrilled and not doing such a fantastic job of not letting it show.

"I don't know why you're so upset," Wally licked the orange dipping sauce off his fingers and tapped his feet against the barstool rungs to the rhythm of the song playing. He'd just finished rattling off a long list of things they could do in the city for fun – maze laser tag, zombie laser tag, jungle laser tag… "Alex is a bitch. You're always complaining about her saying that you're immature."

"Don't call her that," Kyle defended her reflexively. That only reminded him that she'd dumped him, though, and he sank further down into his seat. Wally blinked at him slowly with a look that clearly said he was being pathetic, and that only irritated him. "I'm 'upset' because I loved her. I think."

"You _think_ you loved her?" Wally asked dryly as the waitress dropped off the check and topped off their drinks.

Kyle sighed, not wanting to get into it right now, "It's complicated."

Wally just shrugged and downed his soda, "Sounds to me like you lucked out here."

"If you're not going to make me feel better, then you can at least help me think of a way to fix things with Alex," Kyle grumbled into his palm.

"No way!" Wally looked indignant. "How do you even know that you're right for each other?"

"I don't, but I kinda wanted to see where things would go."

"That is not nearly a good enough answer," Wally shook his head like Kyle was just being tragic. He froze suddenly, and then his lips curled into a devilish grin. Before Kyle had time to react, Wally lunged over the table and nicked his phone from the jacket hanging off his knee. Kyle made a grab for it, but Wally just smacked his hand down and leaned back while his fingers tapped against the screen like gunfire. Geez, the man had no finesse! He was going to damage the screen. When Wally was done, he passed the phone back to Kyle with a satisfied smirk on his face, "There. This'll tell you everything you need to know."

"What did you do?" Kyle looked at the screen frantically, half expecting to Wally to have sent a text to Alex or something equally awful. Instead, he found that the speedster had pulled up a bright red webpage covered in hearts and a cherub-looking Cupid with two blank text boxes. He frowned and glanced back up at Wally. "What is this?"

"It's a _love_ calculator," Wally grinned, slapping some cash on top of the bill and shrugging his coat on. Kyle grabbed his own jacket and followed his friend out of the restaurant, still frowning at the phone. Wally led the way into the chilly New York night. "You put your name in one box and then Alex's in the other, and it tells you if you're soulmates or not."

Kyle gaped open-mouthed at the idiocy, "I'm _not_ doing this."

Wally ignored him, throwing both arms out in a shrug as they walked with his nose turned up in the air superiorly, "If you want my advice, you're gonna have to. I can't in good conscience help you out if you don't."

"Wally, be serious."

"Nope," he shook his head stubbornly, sending Kyle an almost flirty look out of the corners of his eyes.

Kyle let out a growl of frustration, vividly imagining conjuring a huge hand construct and flicking Wally into the next county, "Ugh. Fine!"

He brought the phone closer to his face and started angrily typing in 'Kyle Rayner' and 'Alexandra DeWitt'. A second after he sent in the names, Wally slammed into him, crowding in closer to see the screen. Kyle contemplated pushing him away, but Wally had latched onto his arm with one hand and was holding the phone with the other to tilt it up a bit. They didn't have to wait long for the results. The loading circle expanded into a black background with the number 12% and a frowny face.

Kyle sighed and cocked an eyebrow at the result, "I don't know what I was expecting…"

Wally snorted and started cracking up, slinging an arm around Kyle's neck and burying his face into his shoulder to muffle the laughter, "The phone fates have spoken, Kyle!"

Then Kyle felt Wally's face shift up so that he could feel the speedster's breath hot against his ear. The laughter stopped, and his voice thinned to a mischievous whisper, "She ain't the one."

Kyle felt his face heat up in a flush, and a violent shiver ripped up his spine when Wally stepped back and allowed the cold winter air to rush back in. His head started spinning, and his heart thumped faster in response as he stared after Wally. The redhead moved several feet away to stare into the display window of a storefront, the glow from inside reaching out to envelope him in light.

Kyle couldn't take his eyes off of him.

On a mad impulse, he thumbed the love calculator back to the homepage and typed in his and Wally's names. Then he hit 'send'. He felt stupid as he waited for the results to pop up. What was he doing? Even faster than the first time, the loading icon changed into a dancing smiley face and a rain of heart-shaped confetti.

98% match.

For a moment, his heartbeat started fluttering madly, and he blushed even hotter against the freezing wind. Then he abruptly snapped back to reality and shook it off when he saw Wally glance over his shoulder at him like he knew what Kyle had just done. It was just a scam to get people's phone numbers. His inbox was going to be full of ad spam for years now.

Kyle was about to lock his phone shut when it pinged to let him know he had a text. He swiped his thumb over the screen and pulled it up.

It was from Alex. 'Come over. I'm sorry. I want to work things out.'

Kyle should've been happy. He should've texted right back and booked it to their apartment to grovel on his knees and promise to be better. Instead, he closed out messenger and locked the screen again, shoving the phone into his pocket.

When he looked up, he found Wally watching him with a carefully composed expression. Kyle walked over to him, and Wally held out a hand to hail a cab, "What are you doing?"

Wally gave him an understanding little smile, but all Kyle could see was the sudden sadness lying just beneath, "Getting you a taxi. That was _her_, right?"

"Yeah, but-" Kyle started.

"Go," Wally opened the car door for him when a dingy yellow cab pulled up to the curb. He nodded at the seat inside with another one of those reluctant smiles. It was so _wrong_ to see a fake smile on Wally's face. "Work things out with your girl. You've been moping about it all night."

Kyle hesitated, at a loss for words.

"You're gonna miss your chance," Wally taunted with a raised eyebrow, and why was Kyle getting the feeling that those words had double meaning? Miss his chance with _whom_? Wally teased the door opened and closed a few times to get his attention. "Seriously, go on. I'll be fine."

It was weird. Getting into that cab was the absolute _last_ thing Kyle wanted to do right now. He glanced between it and Wally and then down at his hands shoved in his pockets where the unanswered invitation to save his relationship was still waiting.

"Actually…" Kyle found himself saying. Wally's fake smile faltered a bit in confusion. "I'm not ready to go home yet. You still up for laser tag?"

Wally stared at him blankly for a few seconds, his lips parting just a fraction in surprise. The biggest, most dazzling grin spread across his face, and Kyle could've sworn he saw those green eyes _glow_ with happiness. Wally swung the cab door shut and slapped the roof to let the driver know he was good to go, "You kidding? I'm _always_ ready for laser tag. You're goin' _down_, Rayner."

"Please!" Kyle knocked their shoulders together with a light-hearted laugh as they started down the busy sidewalk. "My aim is way better than yours."

"Um…which one of us grew up around two Olympic-class archers?" Wally pretended to be thinking about it, cupping a hand around his ear like he was waiting for Kyle to tell him. Kyle shoved him in response, and Wally stumbled only a few steps before he regained his balance and skipped ahead to walk backwards in front of him. "I've picked up a few things over the years. Besides, we _both_ know you're never gonna be able to hit me."

He turned back around flippantly, and Kyle really debated kicking the back of the cocky speedster's knees. At the same time though, he thought about that 98% and the girl waiting for his answer at home and the way the hidden sadness had vanished from Wally's eyes when Kyle said he was staying.

Why did he really want that stupid love calculator result to mean more than it did?


	2. Crush

Wally only hated on Alex because he was jealous of her. _He_ wanted to be the one with Kyle, and he'd thought he would do anything to help break them up. That was before he'd seen the wistful, sad look in Kyle's eyes and reluctantly decided that he wanted Kyle to be happy more than he wanted Kyle to be with _him_. But, Kyle hadn't gone to her. He'd stayed with Wally and crashed at his place that night, and the next one, and the one after that until it was Monday, and the weekend had all been used up.

He had the biggest crush on Kyle – was falling heels over head for him, and there was no undoing it. As of yet, he hadn't said anything about it to anyone. This was just his own little secret.

Maybe if Alex DeWitt hadn't already been in the picture when Wally met Kyle…maybe then he would've tried his luck. He wasn't usually so hesitant with his affections, but it hadn't looked like there was much hope at first. Now, though, there were all kinds of trouble in paradise for the not so happy couple.

Wally was in his small kitchenette rinsing out the remnants of his morning coffee in the sink while Kyle collected his stuff from around the apartment. There wasn't much; Kyle didn't want to go home over the weekend, so they'd picked up a few essentials for him at the dollar store, and he'd ended up borrowing some of Wally's clothes since they were roughly the same size. Wally kinda wished that this was a 'morning after, walk of shame' deal instead of a 'holy crap, I'm gonna be late for work. Where are my shoes' thing. _He_ still had plenty of time before he had to be at the police station, but Kyle needed to be in New York ten minutes ago.

"Do you see my keys anywhere?" Kyle called from somewhere in the back of the apartment.

"No," Wally yelled back automatically, but he toweled off his hands and padded into the living room to help him look.

Table surfaces were all clean, nothing on the floor, coat pockets were empty. Wally bent over the sofa that was still all made up with spare pillows and rumpled blankets. He stuck both hands between the cushions and felt around for a set of keys among all the crumbs and lost change. Kyle had slept on the couch every night, and it was the most likely place for them to have been misplaced.

Wally was desperately praying to not find a dead bug in here when his fingertips brushed against something larger and solid. He freed the object from the couch and held it up curiously.

Kyle's phone.

He turned the smart phone the right way up and stared silently at the lock screen as the cogs in his brain started cranking. Kyle hadn't had it out much since Friday night, so Wally couldn't creep over his texts at all.

Wally's shoulder angel and devil staged a brief internal war over whether or not to look through the messages. A good friend wouldn't. But a _best_ friend _totally_ had unspoken permission to. He slid his thumb to unlock the screen and swiped down to the recent text messages. It had been burning him up all weekend to know if Kyle had texted Alex back and what he said. He looked through the messages in surprise when he saw that the most recently sent ones were to the love calculator. Why had he sent it in twice? That was just stupid…they'd charge him again. He tapped the most recent notification and nearly fell over when he saw his own name in the box beside Kyle's.

_ "What…?!"_ he wheezed, eyes bugging out and mouth going dry.

"Found em," Kyle announced, coming down the hall with his keys held up triumphantly in one hand.

Wally fumbled with the button on the side to turn the phone off before Kyle saw him with it. He chucked it onto the couch like a hot potato and flung himself into a chair, crossing his legs and nervously tapping his fingers along his jaw in thinker's pose. Kyle strolled into the living room a second later and scooped his phone up. He stuffed it into his pocket along with his wallet, giving Wally a strange look when he noticed him acting oddly, "You alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, of course," Wally tried not to be jittery. He was being too stiff. He relaxed in the armchair, too far back, and sat upright again, not really sure how he acted normally.

Kyle just watched him with a blank frown that was quickly turning into amusement. He shifted his weight from foot to foot sort of awkwardly when Wally didn't move from his spot, looking off kilter for some reason as he put on his winter coat.

Wally realized too late that Kyle might've been waiting for a goodbye hug or something. He decided to stick it out and stay where he was.

"Thanks again for putting me up for the last few days," Kyle looked a little embarrassed. He sighed heavily and fiddled with the zipper on his coat. "I'm sorry I hogged up your weekend."

Wally shook his head and gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't be stupid; you're welcome here any time."

"Thanks," Kyle cut off abruptly, almost like he'd wanted to say something else but decided against it. "I'll call you later – y'know…once I've talked to Alex."

"You better," Wally teased him with a wink.

Kyle left soon after without any more stalling, and Wally just sat there for a minute, thinking. Why would Kyle put both their names in the calculator? As a joke? Crazy impulse? Kyle hadn't exactly been in the frame of mind for laughs at the time. Not likely.

A slow smile took over Wally's face. Kyle had to be interested in him – at least a little – although he might not even know it yet. His heart soared with hope while his inventive mind began drawing up devious plans.

Wally's job now was to _make_ Kyle realize it.


	3. Jumping

Kyle leaned his forehead against the rolled up window, staring forlornly out at the bright sunshine and unfamiliar trees coming to a slow stop as the car pulled into a parking space. He wasn't being miserly – he _wasn't_. He'd gotten back from an extremely long training mission on Oa less than a week ago, and he kinda just wanted to vegetate in his apartment and catch up on work – get some alone time. Kyle had a new place now; he'd moved out just a few weeks before getting the call to Oa. He and Alex hadn't gotten back together yet. Things were more on a probationary status, testing the waters: regular phone calls, getting lunch once a week, still not cancelling vague holiday plans made half a year ago. Everything felt like it was sliding in and out of limbo, and Kyle couldn't choose where to go one way or another.

He hadn't called anyone but the studio where he worked to let them know he was back. Some lucky news station had captured footage of him re-entering Earth's atmosphere, so anyone who knew who he was knew that he was back home. No need to do the exhausting round of calls to friends and family.

Thankfully, they all left him alone for the first three days. He got his mail sorted out, paid bills, bought groceries. Alex sent him a short 'welcome back' e-mail that he hadn't answered yet. She wouldn't be expecting a reply this soon anyways; she knew his routine, respected his need to recuperate.

But Wally wasn't having any of that.

The impatient speedster showed up at his door on the fourth day, blindingly bright smile on his face and a pair of sunglasses nestled in his hair, and dragged him across the country to Missouri. Kyle wasn't ready to shed the hermit life so soon, but he'd be a filthy liar if he said he didn't want to see Wally. The redhead had been on his mind _a lot_ while he was away – more than Alex had.

Roy Harper killed the engine and popped the trunk while everyone spilled out of the car. For a moment, Kyle tried to puzzle out the buckles and straps keeping Lian in her carseat while she stared at him expectantly with big eyes, but it was a lost cause. Wally came to their rescue, making short work of the seatbelt nightmare with practiced ease and popping his goddaughter out of the backseat. Lian clung to his neck as he straightened up with her in his arms and shut the door.

Kyle exhaled in relief. He liked kids well enough, but Wally was phenomenal with them. He climbed out of the car as well, taking a moment to inhale the balmy Midwest air and let the breeze wash over his skin. Alright, so maybe this outing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Roy was already at the trunk, piling his arms full of inner tubes, beach bags, and towels by the time Kyle realized he should be helping. He slung a cooler over one shoulder and helped Roy lock up the car while Wally danced across the parking lot with Lian.

"I'm gonna throw something at him…" Roy grumbled, struggling with his awkward load as they headed towards the grassy pavilion at the water's edge. Kyle swooped in to save a long umbrella from hitting the asphalt when it slipped free from Roy's grip.

"How'd you let him weasel his way into this trip?" Kyle had to smile. The springs were deserted this early into the season, so Wally had used his speed to run Lian to the pavilion, and he'd stood her up on one of the picnic tables. Kyle couldn't hear what they were singing from this distance, but it looked like they were dancing the Macarena at each other.

Roy adjusted his hold on the bags again, the unicorn inner tube hung round his neck like a ridiculous, hot pink donut, "Wally likes to think that he's automatically invited to every single mundane family outing just because I made him Lian's godfather. It's easier not to fight him."

Kyle bit off the end of a laugh as they reached the grass. He could see the crystal clear water and the floating docks bobbing along slowly further out. Geez, when was the last time he'd gone swimming? He hefted the cooler onto the picnic table Lian was still dancing on top of and took the rest of Roy's burden before the archer dumped it all over the cement.

"Are you gonna swim with me today, Speedy?" Wally cooed to the young girl indulgently.

"Yeah," Lian smiled at him sweetly, sticking one thumb in her mouth and turning her sandaled toes inward shyly. Wally's grin brightened tenfold.

Kyle rolled his eyes at the gaggle of redheads in amusement. Girl was only three years old, and she already had Wally wrapped around her little finger.

"Lian, come here, baby," Roy was digging around one of the bags and pulling out suntan lotion and neon green arm floaties. Lian didn't look too thrilled, but she hobbled across the table to him anyway and let her dad start rubbing sunscreen onto her chubby little legs. She made a face at the smell, and it brought a surprisingly affectionate smile to the usually gruff archer, "I know you hate this, but it's better than getting sunburns."

"Kyle and I are gonna meet you out in the water, okay?" Wally stole two towels from their stash and kicked his flip flops under the table.

Kyle's head whipped around to him in surprise while Roy waved them off with a noncommittal noise. Wally took that as a response, and tugged Kyle back across the grass and away from the shore. "Where are you going?"

"There's a dock back this way where the water's deeper," Wally pulled him up to a raised, wooden walkway that meandered through the forest. His mouth was quirked to the side in vibrant excitement and mischief. "I like jumping in."

Kyle followed him the roundabout way back to the spring until they reached a crudely made dive station and metal ramp that led down to one of the floating docks he'd seen from the pavilion. Wally navigated the ramp with the ease of familiarity, pausing at the gently moving dock and throwing his head back to soak in the sunshine beating down on them.

Kyle joined him at the edge, peering down at the water curiously. Far to the left, there was a snarl of trees and root systems climbing above the surface like stilts, but the rest of the swimming hole was wide and unbroken all the way to the sandy shore. The water was so clear that he could see every rock and broken log sitting all the way at the bottom. "Wow…how deep is this?"

He honestly couldn't tell.

"It looks like five feet, but it's actually closer to ten I'd bet," Wally told him happily. "I can't touch the bottom even when I cannonball in."

Kyle exhaled with a helpless laugh, shaking his head. He should've let it go, but the question had been nagging at him ever since Wally basically forced him along. Roy was a good friend of Kyle's, sure, but not really close enough to be thought of when it was time to teach Lian how to swim. Was he just here for Wally's benefit? "Why'd you invite me here?"

"You've been offplanet for what – nearly three months straight?" Wally didn't even act like the question offended him. He just lifted both arms high above his head and arched his spine like a cat stretching in the sun. The sideways grin he casually tossed Kyle was all dazzling white teeth and energy. "Every once in awhile, you've gotta remind yourself how awesome your own planet is."

He should've known. Wally never had an agenda; he'd just wanted Kyle there. And that…was making his chest do all sorts of funny things.

"Alright," Wally whipped around to flash him a crazy smile, reaching back to collect the fabric at the back of his neck. "You can admire the scenery all you want, but _I'm_ swimming."

Before Kyle could shoot back any kind of reply, Wally was pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. He rolled his naked shoulders and ran both thumbs along the waistband of the swim trunks resting low on his hips. The smile fell from Kyle's face, and his heart started pounding in his ears as it picked up speed.

He was blushing long before Wally tossed him a wink and dove headfirst off the dock in a perfect arc. It barely even caused a splash, only rocking the platform a little beneath Kyle's feet. He watched the speedster knife down, down, down towards the rocks at the bottom, but he didn't even make it halfway before twisting around and coming back up.

Wally broke the surface shaking his head to cast off the droplets streaming down his face and laughing as he gasped for air. Kyle's mouth went dry, his stomach giving a pleasant lurch. Holy _God_…

Wally's hair was shocking against his skin, slicked back and darkened nearly blood red now that it was soaked. Not for the first time, Kyle was struck by how _colorful_ the speedster was. He wanted to haul Wally out of the water and drag him into a studio so that he could paint him. Would he even be able to capture the speedster correctly? Wally was…something else.

"Come on in, Rayner," Wally floated on his back, long legs sliding through the water gracefully and arms treading easily at his sides. Kyle _had_ to be imagining the flirtatious lilt in his voice and the oddly 'come hither' smirk. "The water's fine."

Kyle took a deep breath and took off his own shirt, kicking it aside on top of Wally's. It was suddenly way too hot, the sun pulling sweat from his skin and making it hard to breathe. Was he also imagining the way Wally's eyes trailed up and down his body as he prepared to jump in? He shoved off from the edge, nothing fancy, and took a deep breath right before he plunged into the water.

It was almost ripped back out of his lungs as he sank down, roaring in his ears and ice cold stabbing into his skin. Kyle floundered in shock, panicking for a heartbeat, before instincts kicked in and he fought his way to the surface.

He gasped desperately for air, coughing and shuddering in the freezing water and looking around frantically for an explanation. Wally was only a few feet away, head thrown back and laughing so hard that he had tears in his eyes. Kyle shot him a startled glare and struggled to swim back to the dock to get his bearings, "_What the hell?!_"

Wally tried to calm down enough to speak through the chuckles, "It's a cold water spring, Kyle. Surprise!~"

"You're s-such a dick!" Kyle gasped through chattering teeth. He tried to grab onto the platform, but it was raised at least a foot above his head and slick with algae. His muscles were too weak from shock to allow Kyle to pull himself out of the water, so he just clung there like a barnacle and snarled at Wally when the speedster appeared beside him.

"It's refreshing," Wally bumped into his shoulder, and Kyle kicked him. That just made him grin wider.

"It's _freezing!_" Kyle hissed, his voice cracking just a bit. He tried letting go of the platform to tread water, but he kept sinking. "Why the hell is it so hard to move?!"

"The cold," Wally said by way of answer, shrugging one shoulder. He didn't seem to be having as much trouble staying afloat as Kyle was. "You just gotta keep moving your arms and legs; you'll adjust to it."

"You mean my body temperature will drop!" Kyle snapped in an embarrassingly hoarse tone. Wally snorted, not even trying to look contrite, and just watched Kyle slowly flailing his legs under the surface and getting nowhere.

"Here," Wally pressed closer, and Kyle was taken off guard at the deep timbre of his words. "Let me help."

He turned towards Wally with wide eyes when the redhead's hands gripped the dock on either side of him. Wally reeled himself in until they were less than an inch apart, and Kyle felt dizzy being this close. Every deep breath made their chests brush together just barely, and suddenly nothing was the same.

Wally was staring at him too intensely, his expression serious and deep, and Kyle couldn't keep his eyes on Wally's face. They kept darting down to the speedster's lips, the line of his jaw, his neck, his shoulders, the water lapping at his chest, and Kyle didn't know how to stop. He didn't know what was happening. Wally was undeniably handsome, but he'd never looked so gorgeous before with escaped strands of blood red curling down over his forehead and the sun turning his eyes pure jade.

Very slowly, a firm thigh was pushed between Kyle's legs, giving him something to rest his weight on, and he felt his whole face go red with heat. He met Wally's eyes again through the haze, and the speedster's gaze had softened into something new and tender. Kyle knew that Wally was desperately trying to tell him something – something important.

He didn't make any moves to get away, so Wally pushed his leg further between Kyle's until their hips were slotted together. Their noses were a hair's breadth apart now; they were practically breathing the same air, and then Kyle understood.

He understood everything – all Wally's quirks this past year and his dislike of Alex, the special smiles he didn't give to anyone else. Kyle sucked in a sharp gasp at the realization, body going numb, and he knew that Wally had seen him make the connection. Neither of them moved. Kyle kept his back pressed against the gently bobbing dock and stared at his best friend in gut-wrenching terror. Every nerve in his body danced with frenetic expectation that Wally would close the distance between them and… no, no, Wally wasn't going to move. He was _waiting_; he'd come more than halfway, and he was waiting for Kyle to make up his damn mind and take that last step.

Did he want to?

One more look at Wally's carefully composed expression – vulnerable, bare hope – decided that for him. Kyle let go of the dock and slid his hands shakily over Wally's cold, clammy shoulders. The box that Wally's arms made tightened a little, and it gave Kyle the strength to lace his fingers together at the back of Wally's neck.

Wally could've been glowing.

All traces of anxiety were gone, and Wally's skin was practically humming against his. Kyle quieted his whirling thoughts and tugged Wally forward by the nape of his neck. The redhead didn't need any more clearance than that. Wally sealed himself against Kyle airtight, and pressed their lips together like he was starving for it.

Kyle felt a short zap at the corner of his mouth like static electricity, and he suddenly couldn't get enough. His hands scrabbled to slide through Wally hair, nails scraping his scalp. And if Kyle's fingers were digging in too hard, Wally's groan said that he didn't mind. He dipped an arm into the water and curled it around Kyle's waist, still keeping them above the surface with the other.

Wally's lips were cool and hard, but they set Kyle on fire as he mouthed into them. He felt Wally smile, and their noses bumped clumsily when he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Kyle was grinning too, because what did he expect? Wally never did _anything_ slowly. Might as well keep pace. He hooked his legs around Wally's hips and was absurdly grateful for how frigid the water was, otherwise he'd probably be embarrassingly hard right now.

Wally couldn't seem to decide where he wanted his hands, trying to touch Kyle everywhere at once. His fingers slid up Kyle's spine, clutched tightly at his shoulders, cupped his jaw, ghosted over ribs while the other hand twitched restlessly against the dock above them. Jolts of energy burned across Kyle's body, chasing the path Wally's fingers made, and he swore they moved in sync with the speedster's hummingbird heartbeat.

A high-pitched squeal startled them apart. Wally lost his grip on the dock, and they both went under for a second. Kyle surged back to the surface coughing and pushing his bangs off his forehead. He pulled himself to the end of the dock and looked around to the other side towards the beach. Roy's rich laugh drifted over, and Kyle saw him waist deep in the water watching Lian wriggle in her unicorn inner tube with her arms drawn up to her chin. She was screeching at the freezing water and giving her father a look of shivering betrayal.

A breathless laugh at his ear made Kyle turn back to Wally. They shared an embarrassed, intimate smile, and Kyle put his arms back around Wally neck – looser this time. The heat and urgency were gone, Wally just leaning his forehead into Kyle's and trying to catch his breath, "So…"

"So," Kyle laughed.

Wally caressed the side of his neck with a stupidly ecstatic grin on his face, "I want to date you."

He wasn't one to waste words.

Kyle matched his smile, "I wanna do what you want to do."

"I want us to be worthy of that 98% match we got," Wally's eyes crinkled with mischief.

Heat rushed to his face, and Kyle's eyes went wide. How the hell did Wally know about _that_?! Kyle sputtered for words, and Wally laughed at him fondly. Kyle smacked him lightly and rolled his eyes even though he was the furthest thing from exasperated. He was over the moon.

"I still don't believe in stupid 'love calculators'," Kyle fought down the blush. "But…I guess we could try for that."

Wally kissed him like he was gunning for a head start.


	4. Meeting

Kyle stayed upright in his chair and tried his best to pay attention. Aquaman was sitting to his left at the round table, Wonder Woman was at nine o'clock, Batman at twelve, J'onn at three, and Superman had everyone's ears as he spoke about his agenda. They were all there for the League's weekly meeting, which was mandatory attendance and mandatorily _long_ it seemed. Kyle used to pass the time between votes and presentations by drawing with hard light constructs, but disapproving eyebrow raises from Batman had put a stop to that.

Honestly, Kyle felt way out of his league here being at least fifteen years younger than all the others - and much newer at the job. If it wasn't for Wally lounging at his side, he was sure he'd feel much worse. They were both on the council together in the Flash and Green Lantern seats. Despite Kyle still being a bit uncomfortable in the position, Wally was cool as a cucumber. The speedster practically _sprawled_ in his chair, head held high and eyes gleaming with boundless confidence. He was inspiring. Kyle couldn't help mimicking him and praying that it came across as genuine.

He and Wally had both inherited their seats - their legacies - but they'd earned them a hundred times over. It was probably good to keep reminding himself of that. He was in the Lantern spot because Guy and John were both on Oa indefinitely helping to rebuild the Corps. They'd be back eventually, but no one really knew when, so Kyle endeavored to hold the fort while they were gone. Hal was little more than a faceless threat - hard to imagine as a real person - somewhere out in the universe burning up in the grip of Parallax. Kyle had never met him, but he knew the former Lantern was a sore topic with Wally - a deep wound that had left innumerable scars.

Kyle snuck another glance sideways at Wally as Superman transitioned into a lengthy dialogue about moving the Watchtower to the surface of the Moon. The cowl of Wally's costume was pulled back, leaving his hair sticking up in messy angles and his freckles bared to the bleaching light overhead. He caught the slight movement and cast a silly smile at Kyle, hunkering down just a bit more in his seat and dropping one arm beneath the table.

Kyle didn't know what he was doing until a teasing hand walked two fingers across his knee. His heart stuttered in surprise, and heat rushed into his cheeks when Wally's hand trailed over his thigh. Incredible, soothing warmth seeped into his muscles in its wake.

Wally was flirting with Kyle under the table in the middle of the founding members of the goddamn Justice League. Kyle was beyond embarrassed - because they were going to get _caught!_ \- but Wally's hand felt nice, and it was actually helping to relax him. He very subtly spread his legs more to put one better within Wally's reach.

The redhead was delighted. He eagerly palmed the inner skin of Kyle's thigh, giving nothing away with his facial expressions aside from a tiny uptilt at the corner of his mouth. Kyle felt a knot form in his chest, and then the air in the room was suddenly much thicker when Wally's pinkie finger brushed against the juncture of his hip and groin.

Kyle clenched his stomach, still looking forward like nothing out of the ordinary was happening in his lap. Or at least that was the look he'd been going for.

Superman purposely pivoted while pacing to send downturned eyebrows directly at him, not pausing in his speech. Kyle went rigid in his seat, legs snapping closed and eyes going wide in humiliation. Oh God, of _course_ Superman could see through the table and hear his heartbeat going like a friggin turbine. Stupid!

Wally also sat up straighter in his chair, looking for all the world entirely unapologetic, but none of the other Leaguers seemed to notice anything amiss. Superman held the disapproving stare for another few seconds before sliding back into the flow of the conversation.

Kyle slowly released the breath he'd been holding, still glancing furtively between all the heroes gathered. He knew that he had to tread _very_ carefully in his new relationship with Wally. Wally was the League darling. All of the founders had known him since he was ten - along with Dick, Roy, Garth, Donna - and he was universally well-liked by nearly everyone.

That was still an impossible concept for Kyle to understand. They were the same age, but Wally had been getting struck by lightning and taking on villains like Black Adam while Kyle was still learning how to ride a bike. He'd been one of the original sidekicks – more experience under his belt that Kyle would ever have.

Wally's leg bumped into his own, and Kyle looked over to see him offering a slanted smile and mouthing 'sorry'.

The embarrassment faded a little bit. Kyle really was proud of his boyfriend - stupidly proud. He could deal with humiliating himself in front of the planet's greatest heroes for Wally every now and then. Yeah…

Superman wrapped up the meeting with a vote for the new moon base - unanimous approval after assuring Aquaman that the tides would be fine - and then everyone was getting up to leave. Wally and Kyle stayed seated while the others filed out, both of them keeping carefully constructed poker faces while big blue walked past without saying a word.

Wonder Woman was a few paces behind him, and Kyle caught every word when she poked his shoulder tauntingly and muttered, "You boys behave yourselves."

Kyle started to sweat.

They managed to keep their composure until the door slid shut. Wally exhaled in a snorting laugh once they were alone, setting off Kyle in manic, wheezing giggles. He felt like he should at least _pretend_ to yell at Wally for getting him in trouble, but then the speedster was in his lap and looping his arms around Kyle's neck.

And that was how Kyle ended up making out in the Watchtower briefing room.


	5. First Date

Kyle walked with his hands in his pockets, arm in arm with Wally as they headed down the streets of Bludhaven. Every time their shoulders bumped together, they gave short laughs and sent embarrassed looks at the sidewalk. It felt dumb, but he loved it - the sweetheart stage. Wally seemed made for it judging by the way he soaked up affection like a sponge and gave it out generously. Every touch meant something; every look held weight. Kyle didn't think a smile had left his face in the whole two weeks they were together.

Unfortunately, they were only on their _first_ date tonight. Kyle'd been called away on a Lantern mission just a few days after that afternoon at the springs, which worked out anyways, because Wally was in Philadelphia responding to a Flash family emergency. Neither of them were complaining. This was just their lives. However, a _real_ date was overdue.

Wally was the one who'd planned everything, and he led Kyle up to the doors of a restaurant nestled in the bottom floor of a high-rise. It was one of the nicer spots in downtown Bludhaven. Kyle hadn't questioned the choice or why it was so far away from both of their cities, but it was a little random.

Wally slid his arm free to get the door for Kyle, grinning and sweeping low in a ridiculous bow. Kyle snorted at the gesture, but strolled right in and opened the second set of doors for Wally in the same fashion. His heart fluttered at the answering smile on Wally's face, and he imagined the rest of the night playing out like this - dorky and foreign. Something in his expression must've tipped off Wally, because he got a frown and a worried 'What…?' from the speedster.

Kyle shook his head and followed Wally into the lobby, "Sorry. It's nothing. I was just thinking - isn't this a bit…I dunno, typical?"

"What do you mean?" Wally paused before they reached the patrons waiting around in lounge chairs and stools around the bar.

"Nothing," Kyle shrugged, making sure Wally knew he was happy. "It's stupid. I'm just so used to dealing with aliens and all kinds of things trying to kill me that anything normal is strange now. Going out to dinner and a movie like a regular person is so weird to me."

"Well, it wasn't in my plans for the evening, but I'm sure I could incite Gorilla Grodd to rampage through a city or something," Wally had a thoughtful look on his face like he was weighing the options. "That would add some action to our date. He's real good at turning up at the drop of a hat."

"Ugh, no," Kyle laughed.

Wally slung an arm around his shoulders, "You'll get better at balancing it all. Before you know it, you'll be crashed on the couch in your underwear watching the Walking Dead after major villain fights like it's any other Sunday."

"Livin the dream, huh?" Kyle smirked at him.

"I enjoy the simple things," Wally led the way up to the maître d' and gave their reservation name. He also made sure that they were going to be seated with the server 'Richard', which was odd because there was no way that Wally frequented this place often enough to have a favorite server. Kyle was confused, but he kept quiet as they were taken to their table in the middle of a massive dining room. He looked over the menu, tried to gauge how expensive alcohol would be here, glanced surreptitiously up at the glittering strings of chandeliers woven overhead. Whew. If Wally thought he needed to shell out cash for a place like this to impress him, then Kyle had been sending out the wrong signals. Maybe he needed to push for more pizza and beer nights in his apartment.

But Wally didn't actually look all that pressured. It had only taken him a second to find something he wanted on the menu, and now he was looking around the dining room with a content smile on his face - just happy as a clam. Kyle frowned openly at him, feeling like he was missing something. This place didn't really suit either of them, as nice as it was. What was going on?

Kyle didn't have time to figure it out before the waiter came to their table. He was still eyeing the menu, so all he saw of the young man were a pair of legs and a long, white apron tied around his waist.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Have you had a chance to look at our drink me - _what are you doing here?!_"

Kyle looked up sharply at the hissed tones and saw the server's face for the first time. Immediately, he was struck by the fact that _his face was familiar. _He narrowed his eyes at the handsome features for a moment before his brain kicked in. Of course he looked familiar. It was Dick Grayson dressed in the restaurant's uniform with glasses and a floppy, blond wig on.

Wally didn't look surprised. He leaned back in his chair a little and clasped his hands together over the table with a pleased grin, "Hey, 'Richard'. Yes, we _have_ selected our drinks."

Dick covertly glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching them, and he hissed at Wally through his teeth, "Wally, I swear to _God. _I am _undercover_!"

"I know, I know," Wally waved his hands at the table to calm Dick down, unapologetic grin on his face. "But _look_."

Dick stared at him for a second with a hot mix of anger and confusion. He exchanged a frustrated glance with Kyle and then flickered his gaze back at Wally. Kyle was about to ask what the hell Wally was on about when Dick's head suddenly snapped back towards him. Dick's eyes went wide, and he gave an exaggerated gasp with a huge smile, clutching the server pad to his chest like a young child with a teddy bear.

Kyle leaned back in alarm when Wally's smile perfectly mirrored Dick's.

Dick started bouncing in place happily and flailing his hands as contained as he could, "Are you two on a _date_?!"

Kyle's heart spasmed in hopeless infatuation when Wally nodded quickly with an adorable grin on his face.

Dick did a weird, wobbly sort of dance in place, drawing the eyes of the diners surrounding them. He gave Wally a hearty slap on the back, "You got him to date you! Oh my God! _How?!_ How long have you been dating?"

"Couple weeks," Wally was still grinning like a fool. He sent Kyle an adoring look, his eyes softening in a way that made Kyle melt a little. "Although this is technically our first date."

Dick hit him again, "Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"You've been undercover! I couldn't reach you!"

"Oh. Right."

Kyle frowned at the two of them, both looking way too much like brothers, "Wait. You two talk about me?"

"Only when Wally's pining for your body-" Dick answered immediately before Wally could make a frantic grab to shut him up.

"And how long has _that_ been going on?" Kyle cocked his head at Wally, lips stretching into a wry smile.

"Not very long," Wally stammered at the same time that Dick rolled his eyes with a long-suffering sigh and said, "_Forever_."

Wally went bright red while Dick and Kyle shared a laugh at his expense.

"As happy as I am, this is like the _worst_ time for you guys to be here," Dick looked over his shoulder again and leaned over the table to act like he was showing them items on the menu. "My mob boss is here tonight, and I need to plant a listening device on him before he leaves. Things might get ugly."

"Aw, come on," Wally reached across the table to grab Kyle's hands and squeeze them, looking up at Dick pleadingly. "Don't kick us out just yet. You're gonna make me look bad in front of my super amazing boyfriend."

Wally nudged Kyle's feet under the table, and he gave in and joined the arm twisting with a sad, hopeful look of his own.

Dick's mouth twitched, and his frown wavered until his shoulders slumped in defeat and he snatched up the menus sharply, "Alright, you can stay, but you gotta be out in an hour and a half." He turned to leave, and then turned back with one finger held up, "No dessert." He turned around again and turned back. "And you're leaving me a huge tip."


	6. Running

Wally was so excited that he couldn't even stand in one spot without bouncing in place. He'd been practicing three whole months for today, and it had been killing him keeping the surprise a secret from Kyle. He didn't like waiting. He liked making people happy. _Waiting_ to make someone happy was like the worst thing ever.

But it was necessary. Wally had to make sure the surprise wasn't dangerous -y'know, so he didn't accidentally kill his boyfriend or something.

He impatiently dragged the toe of his running shoes along the network of cracks cutting into the ground beneath him. Half an hour ago, he'd sent Kyle a set of coordinates and a message to meet him here at the salt flats in Utah as soon as he got off work. Kyle had sent a question mark back in reply, and Wally - trying to be mysterious - gave him absolutely nothing as explanation.

Wally couldn't help fidgeting as he waited, shifting side to side, stretching half-heartedly, trying to stare down the blinding sun overhead. He was eager to see Kyle, but he was also _nervous_. What he'd planned for today - what he wanted to show Kyle - was intensely personal. If he didn't like it, or if he didn't understand, Wally would get it. He wouldn't be _crushed_, but he'd be sorely disappointed.

He'd never wanted to share this with anyone so badly before.

It only took a few more minutes of anxiety-induced lip chewing before Wally spotted a tiny green dot on the horizon. His heart fluttered with anticipation as it drew nearer, and he gave in to the grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Kyle touched down gracefully just a few feet from Wally, looking happy but perplexed. He flexed his ring hand, and his uniform faded away with a low pulse of light, "Hey."

"Hey," Wally kept smiling at him, because he didn't know how to stop.

"So, you're freaking me out here," Kyle dug through his pocket and held up his phone with a crooked grin. "What's the big surprise?"

"You look nervous, Kyle," Wally said with a playful lilt.

"I _am_ nervous," Kyle kept glancing all around like he was expecting an ambush or something even though there was nothing there for miles in any direction. "I didn't get anything done at work cause I couldn't focus."

"What would you have to be anxious about?"

"With _you_?" Kyle shot him a look. "The possibilities are endless."

Wally laughed and produced the second pair of running shoes he'd brought with him. He tossed them to Kyle by the laces, who caught them with a startled fumble, "It's not a bad surprise."

Kyle turned the shoes over in his hands with a puzzled frown, "What are these for?"

"They're for the surprise," Wally answered cryptically. He only let Kyle hang on the reply for another minute before he gestured to the perfectly flat earth surrounding them like it was obvious. "I want you to run with me."

Kyle didn't exactly look pleased. His shoulders dropped, and he cocked an eyebrow at Wally, "Don't you get enough of an ego trip just from being the fastest man alive? You need to race me too and prove how much of a snail I am in comparison?"

"I don't want you to _race_ me," Wally reiterated happily. "I want you to run _with_ me."

Judging by the open-mouthed frown he was getting, Kyle didn't see the distinction.

"Just let me show you," Wally told him. "Put the shoes on. They're top of the line; you're gonna need 'em."

Kyle was clearly still suspicious, but he put the shoes on after a minute and removed the hoodie he'd been wearing. When he was finished, he planted both hands on his hips and faced Wally, "Alright, what now?"

"We're gonna run in _that_ direction," Wally flung his arm out and pointed somewhere in front of them at random. "As fast as you can. Okay?"

The doubt on Kyle's face increased, but he moved to stand beside Wally anyway, "Are you gonna time me or something?"

"Nope," Wally shook his head with a fox grin. When Kyle didn't make any moves to go, Wally jerked his head to signal him to start running.

Kyle heaved a great sigh and gave Wally one more wary glance before pushing off in a light jog. Wally moved with him, matching pace and giving him plenty of room. Together, they gradually picked up the pace, Wally neither taking the lead nor giving it to Kyle. He stayed side by side with his boyfriend and kept encouraging Kyle to go faster with a smile here and a playful wink there. The Lantern wasn't being grumpy so much as he was bracing himself for some kind of prank or punch line, and it all fell away as he ran. Eventually, Wally saw him start to smile. It was a firm curve of determination, and it grew each time Kyle threw more power into his steps.

There was just something about physical exertion and adrenaline thrumming in his veins that was irresistible to them both.

Wally waited until Kyle was in full sprint, feet pounding across the cracked ground and breath coming in short gasps, and then he pulled enough ahead to get his attention, "Alright, it's time for the surprise! Stay really close to me, okay?"

"What?" Kyle shouted over the wind roaring in their ears. He was no slouch, but Wally could still see the strain beginning to show in his body.

"Just stay close!"

Wally turned forward again and took in one long, slow breath. He let his eyes slide shut and opened himself up to the waiting energy crackling around him. Dormant Speedforce energy was invisible to everyone else, but Wally could access it as easily as he could take in a lungful of air. He reached out for it and instantly felt the lightning surging to answer his call.

Here goes nothing.

Wally directed arcs of Speedforce energy to wrap around Kyle like a protective armor. They acted as conducting filaments, threading into the Lantern's muscles and sinews and listening for the signal to light. Kyle hadn't noticed anything strange; he couldn't feel the connection just yet. Wally kept on hurling wave after wave of energy through him until Kyle's body was practically humming from the overload.

The amount of Speedforce energy surrounding him was miniscule compared to what Wally was used to, but it was all that a non-meta could safely handle. And it was more than enough to protect him from the strain of superspeed and particles in the air that would rip through him like bullets.

Wally looked back for a moment and saw that Kyle's discarded hoodie and shoes were nothing more than a tiny lump on the ground far behind them. He quickly calculated the distance in his head and figured that Kyle had built up enough momentum to transition safely. After that, it was a simple matter of releasing a valve and lending some of his speed to Kyle. "Get ready."

"For _what?"_ Kyle asked distractedly, but Wally didn't need to answer. His boyfriend lurched forward with the sudden influx of borrowed speed, eyes flying wide open in shock.

Wally rushed to calm him, drawing nearer to keep Kyle at the same increasing pace, "Keep running. It's okay. If you try to stop, you'll trip."

"What did you do?!" Kyle looked down at his feet in alarm. Small sparks were crackling in his wake, joining together into strings of lightning that snapped behind him like whips. "_Wally!"_

It took him a minute to be able to speak through the laughter, "I made you a speedster, Kyle! It's only for a little bit, so shut up and enjoy it."

That seemed to do the trick. Kyle needed some time to wrap his head around the fact, but he was seasoned enough to keep running in the meantime. He kept glancing sideways at Wally as if to make sure the speedster was still there, and Wally watched him the whole time. Kyle's expression gradually eased out of panic into intense concentration. His green eyes darted back and forth between his feet and the ground in front of them, but there weren't any obstacles - not even trees or rocks - for miles.

He stumbled once, twice, and threw out his arms like someone trying out roller skates for the first time. Wally let out a short laugh, stealing Kyle's attention and earning himself a strange look that was caught somewhere between confusion and wonder. Wally could almost _see_ the strain leaving Kyle's body as they ran. His strides turned longer and effortless, breath evening out like he could've been sleeping. Kyle had noticed the change too. He looked down less and less at his feet as his confidence swelled, eyes beginning to roam the sky and the clouds that flew overhead with crystal clarity, "How fast are we going...?"

After being a speedster for well over fifteen years, Wally was basically a human radar gun. He hadn't needed any help detecting speed in a _long_ time. "About a hundred fifty-eight miles per hour - give or take."

A hysterical laugh burst from Kyle's mouth, and his surety faltered, "Holy _shit_…"

"Come on," Wally held out his hand to Kyle, smile easy and reassuring. "It's just like flying. You'll love it."

Kyle's hand tightened into a fist and drew close to his chest for a moment, and he stared at Wally's offered one with hesitant, scared eyes.

Wally couldn't resist. He thrust his arm even closer to Kyle and employed his best, imperial voice, "_Kyle Rayner, you have the ability to overcome great fear!"_

Kyle was startled for a second, and then he was shaking with laughter, immediately taking Wally's hand and letting the speedster pull him along faster and faster.

They were tearing across the salt flats in wide arcs, picking up speed with every step. Wally kept them well below Mach 1, but they still wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer - not without the kind of gear Wally used as the Flash. Their shoes were the timer. Wally was wearing the exact same pair that he'd given Kyle so that he could keep track of how quickly they fell apart. The laces were starting to burn, but they still had plenty of time before the soles melted.

Kyle was fully into it now, lifting his head to the wind as he ran and grinning wildly as his hair whipped all around. He'd fallen into step with Wally, matching his strides and even daring to push off from the ground in a leap that sent him meters ahead. Wally stuck close to him to keep up the protective shield of energy, absolutely thrilled at Kyle's excitement.

He missed this - having someone to run with who _understood_. He could carry someone as he ran, but it wasn't the same - not like this. Wally could feel Kyle's heartbeat racing inhumanly fast and perfectly in time with his own. He'd shared how he experienced the world, and Kyle was _loving it_.

The exhilaration was indescribable.

Wally lost himself in it, reveling in the feeling of power thrumming in his limbs, the miles giving way beneath his feet, and having the man he loved right beside him mirroring every step. Together, they raced each other, laughing and slicing through the air like knives. Kyle pushed past his limits, faster and faster, three hundred, and then close to five hundred miles per hour. Speedforce energy danced around him, sloughing off from his every movement in jagged forks. It lit up his eyes in brilliant white hot gold, and Wally thought he looked even better covered in lightning than in green.

All too soon, he felt the soles of his shoes being ripped apart strand by strand in telltale wear and tear. He took Kyle's hand again and guided him back around to the center of the salt flats where they'd begun. They slowed down to a hundred, then fifty, then thirty, and all the way to five miles per hour where Wally came to a complete halt and Kyle needed to stumble with his momentum before stopping and standing still.

The heat was making the rubber stick to the ground and pull away in long strings every time they lifted their feet, and Wally could feel it through his socks. He frantically tore at the laces and ripped the ruined shoes off while Kyle did the same just a few feet away. Wally had to chuckle as he dangled the smoking sneakers in the air. From brand new to years old in under an hour. He was still smirking at the shoes when he asked, "Well, what did you think?"

Kyle tackled him and drove him to the ground with a bruising kiss. Wally gasped into his mouth, throwing back one arm as he braced to hit the hard earth, but they landed on a cushioned green construct instead. He tried to adjust their position, but Kyle was all over him - knees straddling one of Wally legs, shaky hands gripping either side of his face. Wally's head was spinning; he didn't know what else to do but wind his arms around Kyle's neck and hold on for dear life.

Kyle reigned it in just enough to give Wally a chance to breathe, whispering hot and breathless against his lips between fevered kisses, "That was…_incredible_… How did you learn how to do that?"

"I practiced," Wally murmured thickly. He tangled his fingers in Kyle's hair and let their foreheads come to rest together, noses bumping each time they stole another kiss. "I practiced a _lot_. Just for you."

Kyle made a strangled noise deep in his throat, and he pinned Wally against the construct, tongue sweeping out to stroke Wally's bottom lip. The speedster's legs fell open when Kyle climbed atop him, chests brushing with each heaving gasp and hips slotting together. Wally gave him everything he had, kissing back just as desperately and taking Kyle's tongue into his mouth. They swirled together, slick and sweet and _achingly_ hot.

His lungs burned for air, and when Wally broke away with a sharp gasp, Kyle moved along his jaw down to his throat. Wally's head tipped back to give him better access, his hands dragging restlessly across Kyle's shoulders, trying to feel everything at once. It was so strange to feel his own heart beat racing out of control while his boyfriend's was slowing down as the borrowed speed drained away. If Kyle was aware of it, it didn't hinder him at all. He sucked Wally's earlobe between his teeth and bit down hard enough to sting. A shocked groan tore from Wally's mouth, fading into breathless laughter when Kyle's tongue stroked the pain away.

Kyle dragged his lips down the long column of Wally's throat, nibbling the soft skin reverently, "I love you so much. I don't even have the words…"

"I get it," Wally said simply, because he _did_. He tilted Kyle's face up and brought their mouths back together in a long, luxurious kiss. His fingers lovingly brushed ink black hair out of Kyle's eyes, and he pulled away just enough so they could look at each other, "Next time, you can take me flying."

Kyle just grinned wide and nuzzled Wally's cheek, "Baby, I'm gonna take you all the way to the _stars_."


	7. Sleeping

An intense, terrifying sense that he was falling jolted Kyle wide awake. His eyes snapped open, and it only took a second to realize he was sliding off the bed.

Kyle made a frantic grab for the sheets, and his fingers met skin instead. He groaned internally and used the sleeping body beside him to haul himself back up. Wally had shoved him off the bed again. There wasn't any room to lie down, so Kyle rolled over Wally to his other side and stretched out again. He swore that the redhead fought wars in his sleep with how much he moved around.

"You ass," Kyle croaked out fondly. He reached out and swept a hand down Wally's shoulder. The touch seemed to make Wally's body regret its decision to kick him out of bed, because it turned over and groped blindly for him. Kyle helped him out and scooted a bit closer, exhaling in breathy laughter when the unconscious speedster fumbled to fuse his body with Kyle's. Their legs tangled together under the covers, and Wally pulled Kyle half on top of him.

Kyle had no intention of resisting. The redhead was still fast asleep, so Kyle curled one arm over him and settled in against his chest to go back to sleep for a few more hours. Wally's arms wrapped around his waist, fingers gripping his sides protectively.

'That's it,' Kyle thinks helplessly as he noses his face into Wally's throat. 'I'm done for. I never wanna wake up beside anyone else ever again.'

He drifted in and out of sleep for awhile, half-dreaming things like being late for work or being back in high school and losing his class schedule. But something - some weird ringing noise - kept drawing him back awake, so he gave up trying and just listened to his boyfriend's breathing instead.

Kyle traced patterns over Wally's smooth skin with his fingertips, imagining drawing stark, black lines of paint all over his body. Heat coiled in his stomach at the thought, and he made a mental note to suggest it to Wally later that night. He heaved a content sigh and couldn't help the goofy grin on his face as he watched Wally sleep.

He's _too_ gorgeous like this - hair all mussed up, ginger eyelashes resting against his cheek, freckles standing out more sharply than usual across his nose, expression relaxed and elegant. Every now and then, his eyebrow would twitch in response to some dream stimuli, and his mouth would quirk upwards - having a good dream, Kyle hoped.

He imagined dragging a wet brush head down Wally's chest in whorls of emerald green, lining the contours of his stomach with deep blues, highlighting his ribcage violent crimson. Kyle grinned to himself, biting his lip and shifting his hand to lie over Wally's heart. He'd happily spend all his time looking at Wally until the world ended.

It wasn't until another noise startled him awake that Kyle even realized he'd fallen asleep again. It wasn't a ringing this time but a high jingling sound like keys. He burrowed into Wally's neck with no other thought than completely ignoring it and spending the entire day in bed.

Slow footsteps echoed through the apartment and down the hall to their bedroom. And that was when Kyle's eyebrows pulled together in groggy confusion. He cracked one eye open at a time and twisted around in bed to look over his shoulder at the blurry figure hovering at the other end of the room. Kyle blinked the sleep from his eyes and lifted his head to get a better look.

Hal Jordan was standing in the doorway to the bedroom in his iconic flight jacket, bag slung over his shoulder and sparse key ring dangling from his fingers.

Kyle went deathly cold as all the blood drained from his face. He shot straight upright in bed and gaped at the senior Lantern in abject horror.

Hal stared right back at him, lips pursed and jaw stony, one eyebrow quirked high in irritation to frame the look of murder in his eyes.

Kyle didn't move a muscle - didn't even try to breathe - afraid that one errant twitch would make him pounce. It didn't help that Hal was staring at him like a jungle cat, expression tight and ready to snap.

Hal's keys clinked together when he clenched his fist, and that broke the tension. He turned around and moved back down the hall without a single word. Kyle held his breath a few moments longer until he heard the sound of a duffel bag being dropped on the floor.

"_Wally!_" Kyle wheezed as all the air left him in a rush. He shook his boyfriend awake, glancing at the door again to see if Hal had come back. "_Wally, get up!"_

"Whutizzit…?" Wally rolled over to press his face into Kyle's arm, eyes still firmly shut.

"Hal's here!" Kyle shoved him away, his voice a hissed whisper.

"Huh?" Wally was already falling back asleep.

Kyle straddled his legs and physically pried his eyelids open, "Hal. Jordan. Is. In. Our. Kitchen."

Wally jerked upright so fast that he almost knocked their heads together, "_What?!"_

"Yes," Kyle got off him as Wally scrambled to throw the covers off himself. "He had a key; he let himself in or something."

"He's early!" Wally picked a shirt up off the floor and jammed it over his head, still sleepy but grinning ear to ear and radiating excitement.

"…What?"

Wally tugged the hem down over his hips and flashed Kyle one bright smile before disappearing out the door, "I told him he could stay with us for a few weeks - y'know, until he gets back on his feet."

Kyle felt like he might throw up.

Less than a month ago, they got Hal Jordan back. Parallax caught the attention of the Justice League when the fear entity traveled just a bit too close to Earth. The League mobilized as many heavy hitters as they could and went out to meet him, which Kyle had known _really_ meant 'eliminate him'. Wally and anyone else deemed too close to the situation were purposely left in the dark and left behind. They weren't even made aware of what happened until the fight was over.

Luckily, the League was able to stop Hal without killing him. The Spectre managed to wrest every last trace of Parallax from Hal's soul and restore him, but no one could save him from a trial on Oa. John and Guy brought him back to the Guardians' home planet, and Kyle monitored the outcome for Wally while the two-week trial raged on, sending and receiving messages through his ring. Hal was eventually cleared of all charges and reinstated as a Green Lantern, and then he was allowed to return to Earth.

And apparently, he was _here_ \- in Kyle and Wally's apartment. Right now.

Kyle knew that Wally hadn't seen Hal face to face yet, but he didn't know that they'd spoken somehow. He wished that his boyfriend had given him a heads up. Kyle had been warned by Guy and John that Hal found out he and Wally were together, and he wasn't happy about it. When he told Wally about it, the redhead just waved it off and told him not to worry - but it was hard not to when he found out that the man who'd single-handedly decimated the entire Green Lantern Corps _hated_ him.

It didn't look like John and Guy had been exaggerating either.

Kyle sucked in a deep breath through his nose and carefully tip-toed down the hall after Wally, making sure to keep out of sight. He could hear Wally's thundering footsteps come to a halt, and then he heard the speedster's musical laughter joined by another, much deeper voice. It was foreign-sounding and full of a strange hollowness that raised the hairs on the back of Kyle's neck, but he kept moving closer and closer until he was right outside the kitchen. One more step…and there they were.

Then it struck Kyle full in the chest that this wasn't the sort of moment he should intrude on. Wally had both arms wrapped tightly around Hal's neck, face buried in his shoulder, and Hal was holding onto him just as desperately. Neither were laughing anymore - just clutching each other close as if…as if they hadn't seen each other in _years_ and never thought they would again.

Kyle felt awful. This wasn't about him meeting the terrifying 'in-laws' and maybe getting a vaguely threatening shovel talk. This was about Wally being reunited with someone that he loved like family.

Kyle loosened up and even managed a small smile when Hal pushed Wally out to arm's length and looked him up and down like a proud parent.

"Shit," the infamous Lantern chuckled, voice tight with emotion. "Look at you, kid, you're taller than me now."

Wally beamed, unconsciously squaring his shoulders and drawing up to his full height, "Almost. I think you've still got a couple inches on me."

Hal waved it off with a laugh and reeled Wally in for another hug, "We'll round down and call it even, yeah?"

"Sounds good," Wally agreed as he locked his arms around Hal in return. Kyle saw his eyebrows pull together just slightly, and then he was blurting out, "I missed you so much - there are so many things I wanna tell you."

And Hal looked guilty when he heard that, "I missed you too, kid."

They pulled apart reluctantly, and Hal jerked his thumb at a pile of fast food bags and coffees sitting on the counter behind them, "I picked up some breakfast on the way over. How about you catch me up on your life while we eat?"

At the sight of hot food, Wally practically started salivating. In a dash, he had the lid off one of the coffees and was pouring sugar into it and cracking a mischievous grin at Kyle still standing in the doorway, "Well, if we're going in order of importance…"

Oh no.

"Let's start with Kyle!"

Very slowly, Hal's eyes swiveled from Wally all the way around to lock dead on Kyle. He blinked once. Twice. It was very much like having a bird of prey assess how quickly it could eat you. Kyle felt his body entering fight or flight mode, and he started to sweat. Hal crossed the distance between them in a few long strides, "Oh, I've heard about Kyle Rayner already."

Something about how Hal used his full name made it sound like it belonged on a hit list.

Wally was oblivious to the underlying tone of the exchange, laughing and going a bit pink around the ears, "Yeah? I bet John told you, didn't he?"

"He sure did," Hal replied absently, not taking his eyes off of Kyle for a second, still coming closer and closer. Kyle took a step back and collided with the wall behind him with a low thump. He swallowed hard and stared back at Hal with wide eyes, wondering if this was it. This was the day he would die.

Hal held out one hand towards him, the corners of his mouth turning up in a dark smile. Kyle could've sworn that his brown eyes turned almost black in the shadows of the hallway - black like the black holes in space that Hal probably wanted to throw Kyle into. "I hear you're Wally's new boyfriend, Kyle. It's _very_ nice to meet you."

Very reluctantly, Kyle grasped Hal's hand and shook it firmly, trying not to yelp when the Lantern's fingers closed around his like an iron vice, "Uh, yeah, you too. Nice to…meet you."

"Oh man, I need a picture! Two of my favorite people finally meeting!" Wally declared gleefully right before he left the room in search of a camera. "I'll be right back!"

The strangled 'No!' was squashed when Hal suddenly jerked Kyle closer. His whole body tensed up for a fight when Hal grabbed his other arm to hold him in place, leaning in over his shoulder until Kyle could feel his breath on his ear, "You and I are going to have a little talk very soon. And at the end of that talk, you will know _exactly_ what's going to happen to you if you ever break his heart. Understand?"

"Y-yessir…" Kyle managed in a hoarse whisper.

"Good," Hal replied sunnily. He turned around and slung a heavy arm around Kyle's shoulders, steering him into the kitchen like they were old friends. Wally reappeared a few seconds later with his camera held up and a triumphant grin, completely unaware of what just happened.

"That's perfect, guys!" Wally trotted back a few steps to get the two of them centered in the shot. "Stay right there. Okay, smile on three. One…two…"

It ended up being Wally's favorite picture - framed, hung on the wall next to the stairs, looked at every day. Even though Kyle's relationship with Hal improved by leaps and bounds over the next several months, he could still look at that picture and see the petrified, bone-deep look of fear in his eyes.


End file.
